New Year's Surprise Follow Up to Matching Wits
by DJ Dubois
Summary: When Lex leaves for New York City following Christmas, Chloe and Maggie miss him. What surprise will he spring on them? What will come of it? R and R! Chlex and OC
1. Maggie Misses Her Parents

New Year's Surprise (Follow Up to "Matching Wits")

DJ Dubois

January 2009

Notes: Smallville belongs to DC and the CW. All other characters are mine and fictitious. Please send comments to .

This story takes place about three months after "Matching Wits".

Chapter 1 [December 29th—Luthor Mansion]

Freezing rain fell on that somber afternoon four days after Christmas. The roads remained empty due to hazardous condition. Ice hung crystalline from the tree branches and congealed on the roads. A frigid wind gusted through Smallville and western Kansas.

Maggie stared into this bleak landscape. With her adopted parents gone for the day at least, she felt lonely. Granted, Rollins and the house staff kept an eye on her. The situation wasn't like the orphanage in Metropolis where she'd been until recently. Still she missed Lex and Chloe.

Her parents were occupied with their affairs. Lex was away at meetings for three days. While intending to only be a few hours, the weather had forced Chloe to stay at the

_Ledger_.

_I wish Mommy were here. Just be safe, Mommy. _Maggie sighed. Her blue eyes filling with tears. She looked around her room which sparkled in the light as she had just finished cleaning it. While Chloe had offered to back off on the requirement about chores, she insisted on doing them. It was because she wanted to pull her share. It was because she loved her _familia_, parents and staff. She walked out of the bedroom, passing the vacuum cleaner and heading down the stairs.

The living room greeted her with the Christmas motif still present. A fire blazed away in the massive fireplace. In the corner, the grand balsam pine still had its lights and garlands. From her perch atop it, a white porcelain angel stood guard over the area.

As she surveyed the glittering scene, a smile spread across her face and her mind flashed back….

****

[Christmas Morning]

Maggie stirred from a surprisingly deep slumber. She'd been way too excited the day before with all of the preparations around the mansion. She'd helped the baking staff make cookies. She helped her mother wrap her father's presents. She even gave her wing an additional dusting off.

As per one of her presents, Lex and Chloe had read Christmas stories to her, letting Maggie soak in the loving environment they wanted for her. Their narrative allowed her to relax and drift off to the land of sugar plum fairies and gingerbread houses.

Besides she had to allow Santa a chance to come too…..

She threw her robe on and rushed down the stairs to find her new parents waiting for her beside the tree and a massive pile of presents. "Good morning, Mommy! Daddy!"

"There's my girl!" Lex cheered while hugging her tightly against himself. "Merry Christmas!"

"Good morning!" Chloe exclaimed warmly while kissing her on top of the head.

While she couldn't wait to rip into the packages, she had the best present she could want right there. She lingered there with her parents before they all took a gift apiece at a time. They savored the experience.

Besides Chloe's new necklace matched the glitter in her eyes and smile.

Lex's new watch represented a handsome gift. His blue eyes sparkled gratefully at his girls for it.

And they all enjoyed Maggie's finely constructed sugarbread mansion, taking a picture before starting into it.

That had been Heaven…..

****

[Present]

Maggie blinked and was back in the gloom again. She took a deep breath. "Mommy will be back soon."

"Excuse me, Miss Maggie?" Rollins interjected carefully while walking over with a cell phone in his hand.

"Hi, Mr. Rollins." She smiled at him. "What's up?"

He returned the greeting. While she'd behaved like a royal brat during the initial weekend, he had marveled at how much she'd grown into the Second Lady of the House behind Chloe. Unlike other children of privilege, she had developed respect for him and helped out wherever possible. "Your mother would like to speak with you. Also, thank you for doing the vacuuming upstairs."

"Anything to help you all. Thanks!" Maggie expressed while taking the cell phone. "Can I get some tea please? Maybe you might have some too?"

"Thank you. I'll have it right up, Miss Maggie," he agreed while heading back out.

She considered the phone and smiled. Then she pressed the "talk" button. "Hi, Mommy. You okay?"

Chloe chuckled. "Yes, Sweetie. I'm safe. Thank you so much for asking. I wanted to make sure you were too."

"Yeah. I'm keeping busy. Mr. Rollins is making me some tea. I'm looking at the tree again!" Maggie explained. "And 'memberin' our special day."

Chloe's eyes watered at her daughter's revelation. Maybe sometimes she felt split by obligations. But not at that moment. The adopted girl's love made that clear. In addition, the diamond on her right ring finger said the same thing. "I do too, Sweetie. I'll be home as soon as I can. The weatherman says another hour. Okay? Can you hang in there for me?"

"Sure. Just be safe, Mommy. I love you," Maggie told her.

"I love you too, Maggie. Maybe you can invite Mr. Rollins to share tea with you?" Chloe suggested.

"Course! I wouldn't enjoy without company. See ya soon." With that, Maggie hung up and waited for the butler to return with their tea.

Maybe the parents weren't around but she could handle things just the same….


	2. Chlex Surprise

Chapter 2

[_Ledger _Offices]

Chloe hung up the phone with a heavy heart. While she enjoyed her features column, she wished she could be with Maggie on this dreary day. _Especially with Lex being out of town, she shouldn't be alone. _She inspected the latest piece on the post-meteor shower town experiences. While she was careful not to mention anything about Clark, Jor-El or the whole Kryptonian experience, she also blended certain facts with memory.

Granted it could be boring at times but Smallville was home.

And she, Lex and Maggie were making it that way.

She studied the family portrait on the desk's left corner. "She certainly made it possible." She shook her head while remembering how things had taken such a sudden turn following the weekend visit. Before it, she and Lex had dated off and on, never getting beyond the initial phases of courtship.

Maggie changed all that with her spirit and pain.

After that, Lex hit a home run, putting the small family together and never being away for more than a day at a time before that weekend.

_Lex, why did you have to be away? I miss you too! _She moped and sipped from the ever present coffee tankard to her right side.

As she did so, her phone rang. "Great, Renee's pushing again." She picked it up. "Chloe Sullivan-Luthor here. Can I help you?"

"Maybe you can put the coffee down for a sec," Lex teased from the other end. "How are you, Sullivan?"

"Gee, maybe I have to get whatever vices I can get, Luthor," she retorted with loving mirth. "You terrorizing the Big Apple?"

"Board Room, yes. Otherwise, I'm just being the good husband and stealing a drink at the bar when I can," he reported dutifully.

She snorted. "Yeah like that would stop the bombshells from making passes at you?"

"They have. I flash the gold, Dear. That keeps them at bay. Besides you know there's another bombshell I want. Blonde. Feisty. Can write a news story like the best. Is the World's Best Wife and Mother. Maybe you know her?" he revealed.

"I might. Careful, Lex, I know when you're buttering me up."

"Maybe. I do miss you too, Chloe. I was wondering if you could help me with a surprise for Maggie?" he assured her.

"As if we could ever deny her? She misses you, Lex," she pointed out.

"Just like her mother, right?" he supposed.

Chloe rolled her eyes, almost feeling the Smirk coming over the lines. "You're pushing it. What is it?"

"I'm going to be delayed here until after New Year's. Think maybe you and Maggie could fly up here and spend it with me? We could take her to Times Square and see the ball drop," he offered.

"As if your staff would _ever _let us out in the open like that?" she doubted. "Lex, you know how many people would want….?"

"Not if we're seeing it from the top of a nearby penthouse. Tony Gallagher offered this to me today. Well? Better than hanging out in the ice. And we can ring in the new year as a family," he detailed.

"Renee would love the story. Maggie would fly up there right now if she had wings," Chloe noted.

"And you?"

"If there's coffee and chocolate there, it'll be worth putting up with you," she cracked.

"Lots of both and flowers," he promised. "Besides we could do the other thing…."

She sighed. "Lex, as much as Maggie would love a brother or sister…."

"I know. Sorry. Don't mean to be pushy. I was caught up in the moment. You know I respect your desire to have a career," he apologized.

"It'll happen, Lex. I promise that. I know you love me," Chloe assured him. "And I love you."

"See you in two days, Chloe. You hang in there," Lex noted while hanging up.

As she hung the phone up, she saw the sun break through the clouds. _Finally! _She emailed the story off to her editor. _Time for Maggie and me to have some us time!_

****

[Luthor Mansion—twenty minutes later]

With the roads freshly salted, Chloe made good time heading home. She hustled through the garage and into the main house to get out of the chill. She shivered out of her wraps and boots, hanging up the former in the hall closet. "Rollins?"

"Yes, Miss Chloe?" the butler called while coming out of the sitting room. "How was your day?"

"It was good. Think you can keep an eye on things for a couple of days?" She smiled warmly.

"Master Luthor has a surprise for you and Miss Maggie? Of course, Miss Chloe. It would be my pleasure. Meantime, Miss Maggie is enjoying her book again and having tea in the sitting room. She helped upstairs with her room and vaccing the carpet," he reported. "When would you be leaving?"

"Tomorrow morning. Try keeping Lex and Maggie apart any longer than that," she revealed wryly.

"I couldn't imagine you wanting to do that either, Madame," he responded warmly with a knowing smile. "I'll bring your coffee out. Vanilla or gingerbread crème?"

"Gingerbread today, Rollins. Thank you," she expressed while heading for the sitting room. There, under the angel's watch, she found the pint sized ball of energy curled up in a copy of _Tennyson's Poems_. "You can't set those down, can you?"

"Mommy!" Maggie gasped while indeed dropping the book and nearly tackling her mother in a bear hug. "You're back! I helped out!"

"I heard. Always the eager beaver," Chloe complimented while kissing Maggie's forehead. "Let's sit for a minute, okay?"

"Okay. What's going on?" Maggie asked. "Did I do something bad?"

Chloe shook her head. "No. Why would you think that? I spoke with Daddy just now. He told me to tell you that he loves you."

"I miss him," Maggie reminded her.

"I miss him too. He misses us. In fact, he misses us so much, he wants us to have an adventure together. Would you like that?" Chloe explained.

"We can get on big bird and go?" Maggie supposed. Seeing her mother nod, she jumped up and down. "YES! PLEASE? I want to go to big place! I want to see Daddy!"

"I'll take that as a yes," Chloe supposed with a bit of humor. "We'll leave tomorrow morning. Think we can make it until then?"

"If you're here," Maggie declared while hugging her tightly again.

"I'm not going anywhere tonight, Kiddo," she vowed while snuggling up with her precious bundle on the couch. For tonight, they'd have the mother-daughter time both needed.

And so Fate reminded Chloe of her obligations yet again……


	3. Arrival in New York

Chapter 3

[Next afternoon—New York Hightower Hotel, Central Park West]

Having finished his meetings early that day, Lex stood in the lobby and checked his new Christmas watch anxiously. From the boardroom, he'd heard that the plane had landed at Kennedy Airport and would make its way through the gridlock traffic. "Any time now."

Right on cue, the blonde duo came through the doors.

"Daddy!" Maggie yelled while running toward him.

Before she could grab him, he swept her up in his arms and kissed her cheek. "How's my ray of sunshine? Keep the house going for me?"

"Course! Gotta help." His daughter rubbed up against his chest affectionately.

"That you do," Chloe agreed while joining them. "Hey, Lex. Finish terrorizing New York for the day yet?"

"I figured it was your turn," he cracked as they kissed. "Vices are waiting upstairs."

"I hope they are. It was a long flight," she surmised playfully.

"Your fingers are tired from typing too?" He turned to Maggie. "Can't keep your mother away from a good story."

"Nope. That's Mommy," Maggie agreed.

"Darn tooting," Chloe concurred as she took their hands. A smirk spread across her face as well. "Let's get changed. I want to get caught up."

"Then follow me," Lex indicated while winking to his daughter. "I figured the local Noonigans would work for tonight."

"YAY!" Maggie exclaimed.

As they headed for the elevator, everyone marveled at Lex and his family. It seemed the Playboy of Smallville was finally growing up.

****

[Noonigan's—that night]

After cleaning up for dinner, the Luthors headed for the party capital of Kids Everywhere. Granted there were guards posted around the doors but they wanted to have as normal an outing as possible.

Maggie played in the games area thoroughly enjoying herself.

Lex had almost as much fun diving in after her. After too many years on guard against his father and maintaining his image, he let the whole thing fly to the wind. He was a father. Why shouldn't he enjoy it?

Chloe watched against the rail with equal pleasure. Granted, she didn't know who the bigger kid was—Maggie or Lex.

Then again was that so bad?

She frowned while considering Lex's proposal from the previous night. _Would it be so bad to go along with it? Maybe I could get Renee to step down things? _She gulped while considering those thoughts.

"No grumps here, Mommy!" Maggie chastised.

"You heard her!" Lex concurred while dragging her into the ball pit. "Mommy's too serious, huh?"

"Yeah she is!" Maggie declared.

"In you go, Sullivan," he cracked while yanking her in with them.

"Right. Well you don't get off so easily," Chloe retorted while grabbing onto his lapels and locking lips with him.

"Ugh! Silly!" Maggie groused while rolling her eyes at the PDA in process.

"Yeah. Silly stuff," he agreed after coming up for air while hugging her too. "Let's get something to eat, okay?"

"Okay!" Maggie cheered as they headed back for the table and the cheeseburgers ahead.


	4. The Apple

Chapter 4 [New Year's Eve]

[Central Park Zoo]

Right after lunch and Lex's day ended, the family headed for the zoo. There they experienced a whole range of animals in the frosty conditions. They enjoyed the polar bears, gorillas, tigers and otters.

Maggie liked the orangutans best of all. She loved the funny faces they made. She made a few of her own.

As she visited with those animals, Chloe snickered. "Looks like she's found a surrogate father."

"You think so, do you?" Lex responded; the Smirk growing across his face. "Careful, Chloe. You could spend a night with them."

"You wish. Might be just as good," she teased before kissing him. "She's really having fun."

"Sure is. Makes what we did worthwhile, doesn't it?" he supposed.

"Lex, we love each other. That makes it worthwhile," she pointed out.

"And we love her. That's what I meant." He blushed with embarrassment. "I didn't realize how that sounded."

"I knew what you meant, Lex. It's okay. Besides, I'll take you anyway I can get you," Chloe assured him with a squeeze of the hand. Seeing Maggie come over, she asked, "Ready to go on?"

"I don't wanna get us too cold, Mommy. Can't get Daddy sick. Then we'd have to take care of him," Maggie informed them seriously.

"I think I can take a little cold, Maggie," he informed her while trying to keep a straight face himself.

"I think she knows her father better than you think, Lex. Yeah, Maggie, we'd better get our guy here back under shelter. He's so delicate and all that," Chloe cracked.

While he wanted to respond, he didn't want to spoil the moment. As they left the zoo, he allowed himself to silently soak things up.

Besides the Big Surprise was coming. And he couldn't wait to hit Maggie with it.

****

[Gallagher Penthouse—11:55 PM]

True to Tony's word, his staff gave Lex and his family the run of the entire penthouse for that evening. The guests received the best in coffee, cocoa and, in the adults' case, champagne. Right at 11:50 PM, the head butler, Richmond, led the guests onto the balcony overlooking Time Square.

"There you are. We will await your pleasure," Richmond indicated before leaving for the warmth.

"You doing okay, Maggie?" Lex asked his daughter.

The little girl nodded from under her hat, coat and scarf. "Are you kidding? This is wonderful!" She rushed about the area trying to get the best view of the festivities below.

"Just don't catch cold," Chloe worried.

"I won't." Maggie sipped on her cocoa.

"You'll really love this," Lex indicated while handing Maggie a pair of binoculars. "Focus on the apple. See it?"

"I see it! It's on top of a pole!" Maggie exclaimed.

Chloe looked through her own pair. "Look, Maggie! It's starting!"

"When it reaches the bottom, it's 2009," he advised.

Maggie squirmed with excitement at the unfolding drama. Almost as if she were doing play-by-play on a sports broadcast, she reported, "It's going down. Halfway there now…and there it goes! Yay! Happy New Year!"

"Our first full year as a family," he declared while hugging his ladies. "Happy New Year to you too!"

"I'll be watching, Lex," Chloe sassed as she kissed her husband.

"And I wouldn't have it any other way," he declared with mirth.

"And I'll watch you both!" the pint sized companion chimed in enthusiastically.

"Come on; let's go inside. We need to be letting the staff get to bed," Lex advised. "We can do more celebrating at the hotel. Okay?"

The two ladies nodded in agreement.

"Then follow me," he indicated while leading them back into the warmth.

2009 would be a good year for the family. A very good year indeed.


	5. Lex and Chloe make a decision

Chapter 5 [New Year's Day]

[Hotel Suite]

Chloe sat at her desk while working away on a piece surrounding the trip. While the previous night had been fun, she still felt torn about things. This project made her realize that both family and press rights had to be kept balance.

But she was realizing that the wrong one was holding her back.

She looked over the rough draft in front of herself, musing over how much fun she'd had with Maggie and Lex as a family. She knew Maggie would want a sibling to play with and watch over.

And she knew Lex wanted another child as indicated by his comment from two days earlier.

Chloe peeked in on her sleeping daughter. The latter clutched her teddy bear tightly against herself. On that day at least, she wasn't having nightmares about the orphanage. Rather, a smile could clearly be seen on the little face peeking out from under her comforter.

_I can still have Renee give me assignments. Maybe I can work from home. Maybe I should think about doing some part-time instead of full time stuff. _Chloe took a deep breath.

"She's something, isn't she?" Lex whispered from behind her.

"Yeah she is," Chloe whispered back while kissing his cheek. "I didn't wake you, did I?"

"I was heading for the bathroom. You did get some sleep last night?" he wondered. When she shook her head, he frowned caringly. "I don't want you getting sick."

"I had a lot to think about. Let's not wake her," she noted while leading him back into their room.

"Such as?" he asked not really seeing where this was going.

"Priorities, Lex. I realize that my need for the _Ledger _is denying you and Maggie the attention you deserve. You need me around more as a wife and Mom than the newspaper does. I'll talk to Renee…." she started.

"Whoa. Who said you aren't doing a great job at both, Sullivan? I never have had a problem. Maggie doesn't either," he assured her.

"But I think I can make some adjustments," she informed him while holding him close. Her hazel pools melded with his steel blue ones. "Including one other."

"Oh? And what might that be?" he inquired.

"Your request from earlier this week," she noted.

"Chloe, that's very generous but what about you?" He looked into her eyes. "You need the _Ledger_. It's you. I won't smother you the way Dad did Mom. No way."

"But, Lex, we owe it to Maggie and ourselves to try," she informed him.

"We do. But you agree to keep something of that paper assignment for yourself." He set his eyes with fierce determination. "I won't let you lose yourself."

"I'll talk to Renee when we get back. Maybe I can move my office to the side study? That way, I can do both," she suggested.

"Done," he agreed without hesitation. Then his lips brushed across hers tenderly. "Did anyone ever tell you how loveable you are?"

"A certain bald guy does once in a while." Her eyes sparkled warmly into his. Her lips pursed themselves into a needy pout.

He snorted. "Well, the bald guy's saying it again." He watched her lie down on the bed. "I wish you'd get some sleep."

"Time enough to sleep later, Luthor," she noted suggestively.

He snuggled closely to her. "As you wish, Sullivan." With that, he pulled the comforter over them and started their dance.

It truly was a great start to the year for another reason…..


	6. Chloe's News

Conclusion [Valentine's Day]

[Luthor Mansion]

Fresh off of a great day at school, Maggie helped Lex decorate Chloe's study in red hearts and other Cupid motifs. Flowers adorned the desk and window sills. Streamers hung from the ceiling. Fresh French Roast coffee and fine chocolates sat on the desk as well.

"Sure you have enough, Daddy?" Maggie quipped with a saucy smirk.

He chuckled, noting that Maggie was indeed learning her own brand of Verbal Judo from her parents. "Nothing's ever good enough for your mother, Maggie. But you don't tell her that."

"'Kay!" Maggie agreed. "Mommy's going to love this!"

"Let's hope so. That is if she doesn't kill us for invading her space," he noted with a bit of mirth. He saw her car pulling into the driveway. "Let's go. She's here. Follow me to the library." He led Maggie out of the room and shut the lights. Then he closed the door.

"Hope everything's okay," Maggie presumed.

"Me too," he indicated while sitting behind his desk and looking over an email. "How was school? You didn't say."

"Good. Jenny and I had fun in English. Loved the story we read today," she reported with a smile.

He smirked warmly at her. Her grades had been high and teachers praised her since she'd transferred into the Smallville school system. _Glad we didn't do the prep school thing with her. _

"What the Hell?" Chloe's voice echoed from down the hall.

"Guess she found it," he informed his daughter.

"Yeah. I'm grounded now," she guessed.

"You were following orders," he assured her. "Just sit there. It'll be okay."

A couple of minutes later, Chloe entered the study under a full head of steam. She had a smile on her face. Her eyes watered. "You two are something else!"

"Happy Valentine's, Mommy! We wanted you to feel special!" Maggie announced as she hugged her mother.

"You do that every day for me, Sweetie," Chloe assured her daughter as she kissed her on the crown of her head. "And so do you, Luthor."

"Glad to hear it, Sullivan," he cracked. "Everything okay?" He looked at her with concern. "What's with the tears?"

"Can you both take a seat? I…um…took a visit to the doctor today," Chloe informed them while closing the door behind herself. She felt anxious for some reason while rubbing her hand across the back of her neck.

"Doctor? Mommy, are you sick?" Maggie panicked.

"You should've told me!" he cut in.

"Hey. Let me get this in. It's okay," Chloe noted positively while putting her hands up. "Maggie, I have a question. How would you feel about having a brother or sister?"

"Love it! I…." Maggie gasped.

"Chloe, you're….?" Lex stared at her before realizing what she was getting at.

"Seems like our trip to New York did the trick. I'm six weeks pregnant according to Doc Sanders." She smiled at them both. "Seems like our family's growing."

"Love you, Mommy," the little girl piped in.

"What she said," Lex chimed in as he hugged her tightly. "You don't know how much I love you."

"I know, Lex. Hey, we've hit the jackpot. You've beaten me to the festivities. I figure this is an awesome Valentine's Day present! We can let everyone know later. Right now, I've asked Rollins to fix a celebratory dinner for just us. If that works?"

"It more than works for me, Chloe." His blue eyes sparkled into hers as he locked lips with her.

"Eww. Adult stuff!" Maggie teased.

The two adults broke the kiss off before laughing at their daughter's reaction. Still they knew that warmth ruled the roost.

And from one kind act of two people and an inspired trip east would come so much more……

THE END 


End file.
